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 There is no disputing the four-time National Football League most
valuable player's Hall of Fame credentials, but with just one Super
Bowl ring where he ranks among the sport's best is open to debate.
Two seasons removed from missing a year due to neck surgeries,
Manning produced a campaign for the ages setting a single season
marks for touchdown passes (55) and yards (5,477).
With Manning at the controls of Denver's powerhouse offense, the
Broncos scored a record 606 points, 161 ahead the next closest
pursuer.
Certainly Broncos head coach John Fox, who overcame his own serious
health issue, missing a month of the regular season after undergoing
heart surgery to replace an aortic valve, knows where his
quarterback ranks among the greats following a 26-16 win over the
Patriots.
"He's been remarkable, it's unprecedented what he did," said Fox. "A
year ago it was a very unusual injury he was coming off of.
"To get where he finished that season and started this year off and
to have that kind of season, not just today but all season long, to
me is pretty remarkable."
After 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, not even Manning was
uncertain how long it would take to recover from his surgery and
adjust to a new team.
But after just two years in the Mile High city, Manning has the
Broncos back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 15 years.
"Nobody could give me a real timetable predictions as far as
physical recovery," recalled Manning. "I had never switched teams
before. I had no idea how long it would take to get to form some
chemistry offensively, to get comfortable into the culture. I think
it just depends on the individual how quickly you mesh with the new
teammates.
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"I put a lot of hard work in, a lot of people — teammates,
coaches, trainers — have helped me along way.
"We have come a long way in two years."
With the Broncos tipped as Super Bowl favorites right from the
start of season, Manning has been under mounting pressure to
prove once-and-for-all that he can also get the job done when it
counts most and turn his record-smashing campaign into a Super
Bowl title.
Standing between Manning and a trip to New Jersey and a February
2 showdown against the Seattle Seahawks for the Vince Lombardi
trophy was his longtime rival Tom Brady and the New England
Patriots.
Manning and the top seeded Broncos cleared that hurdle with
relative ease to win the AFC championship and a Super Bowl
ticket.
"He played great. He certainly is one of the greatest players to
ever play," praised Brady. "He had a very good day, their
defense played good we just didn't get enough pressure on that
team.
"I just wished him luck.
"I have a lot of respect for him. He's a great player,
competitor and he played great today."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; editing by Gene Cherry)
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